John Morris and Eric Elswick were part of one of the private crews asked by the mayor to help with plowing around the city.
Posted on 02/10/2010 5:03:58 PM PST by Libloather
Baltimore issues call to contractors for snow removal help
Posted: 1:30 pm Wed, February 10, 2010
By Robbie Whelan
Daily Record Business Writer
With Marylanders battling the fiercest snowstorm in generations, Baltimore officials have called on local businesses to help deal with snowfall that is choking roadways and confining city residents to their homes.
The National Weather Service warned Wednesday of “extremely dangerous” blizzard conditions in the Baltimore region, and as of 1 p.m., the seasonal snowfall totaled 72.3 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. That’s the most since record-keeping began in Baltimore in 1893. The previous record, from 1995-96, was 62.5 inches.
All light rail and local bus service in Baltimore were suspended by 11 a.m., and MARC train service was completely suspended Wednesday. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. reported that 10,000 people were without power in the region.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s office put out an “all hands on deck” call for help Tuesday afternoon, issuing a statement saying that “any private contractors with ANY available equipment are asked to contact, (410) 396-5752 immediately.”
Ryan O’Doherty, the mayor’s spokesman, said that an “emergency procurement system” had been set up to pay private contractors for snow removal work.
“Basically, we have a staff that is answering those calls, and they find out what kind of equipment [it is], and how long it’s available,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done because we need to get the streets as clean as possible.”
**SNIP**
Contractors are being paid based on snow removal rates set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, O’Doherty said. A FEMA spokesman said Wednesday that the agency’s Washington office was closed because of the snow, and referred questions about snow removal rates to a regional office Philadelphia, where calls were not answered.
(Excerpt) Read more at mddailyrecord.com ...
It’s Bush’s fault! < / sarc
It’s not hard to imagine the headlines, if this had happened on Bush’s watch.
“emergency procurement system had been set up to pay private contractors for snow removal work”
I’d make sure to get paid up front before I did any work for these people.
If Congress wasn't shut down due to the weather today it could be declared National Combustion Engine Day, a tribute to one of the truly great inventions in the history of mankind. (interruption) No, no, no, Snerdley, I'm serious about this. You look at what's happened. If we relied on the green people, if we relied on the green Nazi police, if we relied on these people, we wouldn't be able to clear snow. What are we going to clear the snow with? Segues? And how about another shout-out to the blizzard first responders? Do you know who else is closed, if you want to really have a laugh, FEMA. The federal government's closed today, and along with it FEMA. The FEMA office in Washington is closed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is shut down, totally shut down. There are people nevertheless working 24/7 to clear the streets, to fix power lines, to get entire cities back to work. These are unsung heroes, and they are using the internal combustion engine and traditional energy sources in order to do their work. They never complain.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_021010/content/01125106.guest.html
FEMA closed!!!!! This nobama’s Katrina.
Wait, I thought all contractors were Mercenaries according to the liberal mindset.
The Telepromter couldnt make it into work today.
They deserve what they get. I say let em freeze!
Bushs’ Fema is back! Why didn’t 0 Fix it?
After all his talk about creating shovel-ready jobs, the President forgot to order shovels.
Obummer and Biden promised us Millions of shovel ready jobs.
Finally Obummer has delivered a campaign promise.
fantastic observation.
LOL-— ‘fool is rather witty methinks!
We stop feeding and helping, it stops living, and presenting this ridiculous image of supplying value to the productive.
LOL
Mr. O'Doherty has a Freeper history for those who weren't here years ago.
Typical to see a scuttling RAT who has welded his lips to a failing big city administration.
Do the "where's Waldo" in this thread and see if you can find the slug mentioned.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1515557/posts
Sorry I didn’t do the hot-link correctly.
Can someone help a brother out?
Trying again.
...and all due to global warming, too.
Thanks, Al Gore!
Cheers!
“
Our new mayor issues level 3 snow emergency plan. Official vehicles only.
“
Translation for the non-home-boys:
Only the mayor, her friends and minions can get about town legally.
Yeah! I second that!
We need to make all those stupid military jagoffs at Andrews and Bolling Air Force Bases, the Pentagon, Bethesda Naval Hospital, Walter Reed Medical Center, Ft. Meade, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and the Naval Academy all freeze because they deserve it!
Yeah!
--- 
Plus, I'd say that graphic you posted is just a little over the top don't you think?
Oh yea. I forgot about that. Is MD4BUSH account still active?
I believe it went dark as soon as it had achieved its purpose.
Quite the kerfuffle at the time.
MD rats never die-they just steal your tractor.
Well, it didn’t look like a joke.
I tend to put:
:-P
in a post to prevent exactly this sort of problem.
And yes, now that I look at the graphic after having a good night sleep, it is over the top.
My apologies.
So, which horse trainer is running this show nowadays?
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
Best iteration of the G.I. drinking out of the canteen cup that I’ve seen to date.
I stole it.
Ten Hail Marys and try not to do it again. ;)
I could of used that tractor yesterday and today. :)
Hope they got cash money up front.
My trac’s tongue is hanging out with 24” over the weekend and 15” yesterday.
Still hanging tough though.
MD4BUSH can GTH.
“MD4BUSH can GTH”
Well put.
We got home from WDW, palm trees and stuff on Tuesday to this.
Just made it before BWI closed again.
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